It’s amazing everything you can catch with a fishing pole: deep shaded canyons, blue skies and a lifetime of getting in touch with the wild side of New Mexico.

And if you’ve never experienced fishing here, it could be getting a lot easier thanks to a 40-0 vote by the New Mexico Senate on Wednesday night that passed Rep. Yvette Herrell’s House Bill 61. If Gov. Susana Martinez signs the bill into law, the director of the Department of Game and Fish will have the ability to temporarily waive the fishing license requirement for up to three days during special events as approved by the department.

This bill amends existing statute 17-3-17 NMSA 1978, which requires anglers 12 and older to carry a license when fishing. Bag limits and all other angling restrictions apply during events approved under this amendment.

“We are hoping this makes it easier for people to get hooked on New Mexico’s fishing,” says Game and Fish Director Jim Lane. “We have the great rainbows of the San Juan River, the giant tiger muskies at Bluewater, and Elephant Butte’s striped bass – some of the best fishing in the Southwest. We believe that if we give folks an opportunity, they’ll come back for a lifetime.”